Healing Waters
by Ariellabella
Summary: After the loss of his love, Vanyel is taught that the world still holds a place for him. VanyelMoondanceStarwind


Healing Waters - Vanyel/Moondance/Starwind

The solid stone walls resonated with the sound of falling water leading him to his destination. A large spring came into view, water cascading down the walls into large pools. Light came from an unknown source, illuminating the room and glinting off the water creating dancing patterns on the ceiling. His soft leather shoes made no sound as he glided across the floor. Sitting on a natural stone bench, he ran his hand through the almost too hot water.

His mind raced, trying to sort through the past few days. Emotions flooded through his heart, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. As he began to remove his shoes he tried to block out the images assaulting the battered walls of his heart. Tylendel, falling, screaming, broken, motionless; he shook his head hard, swallowing back the lump of tears knotted in his throat. He brought his legs up against his chest and rested his head on his knees as the tears began to flow.

Wrapped up in his own grief he didn't hear the Tayledras enter and kneel beside the pool. Moondance pulled him against his bare chest. Vanyel clutched at the young man's arms, giving in to his embrace as sobs tore from his throat.

"Shh, ke'chara, you are still loved; we will take care of you." Moondance rocked slowly as he stroked the others' long dark hair, contrasting vividly with his own silver. "The wounds are still fresh but we shall help them heal, poor 'ashke, you have been through so much."

"I-it hurts," Vanyel choked out.

"I know, I know." He held him close as the tremor began to stop, Vanyel's breath still ragged.

"Why?" was all he said in a small trembling voice.

Moondance shook his head slightly. "I don't know, none of us do, these things just happen, it is out of our control."

"Not always. I-I could have stopped it, if only I wouldn't have been so foolish 'Lendel would still be alive. It's all my fault."

"Quiet," Moondance snapped, anger threading through his voice. "Do not blame yourself, you did nothing, you could not have known what would happen. He was no longer the same person you had bonded with and the damage done to him was so far gone we would not have been able to do anything. Do not think you could have stopped it."

"But how could he have done that and just left me behind?"

"You mean just like you tried to do to poor Gala?" Vanyel hung his head in shame at Moondance's words. "He loved you, that was shown in the lifebond, don't doubt his feelings, but the pounding his mind took was simply too much. But he loved you more than anything and has left you with the memory of that love, hold onto that for happiness. Do not sorrow yourself with that that cannot be changed."

Vanyel nodded slowly, his heart's pounding had slowed and he still shook slightly with the power of the emotions building up within him, remembering, doubting, blaming, grieving, loss, remorse.

"What am I going to do?" his voice was no more than a whisper.

Moondance understood how he felt, knowing that lost, lonely feeling, like nothing in the world would ever be right again, that love was gone forever from your heart, leaving a gaping hole that only tore wider over time.

Tears began to stream back down his face and his eyes clouded. "He's just gone, no goodbye, it's so final. I just want him back."

Moondance hugged him and said softly, "now, now, I thought we'd stopped that. Here, let's wash away those tears." With slow delicate movements, he undressed Vanyel and placed him within the water. Vanyel startled himself as an accidental sigh escaped from his lips. His stomach fluttered uneasily as he listened to the distinct rustle of clothing and rippled moved through the water where Moondance was slipping in.

Slowly Vanyel turned to look at him but he wasn't there. His eyes darted around the pool, catching on a moving form in the water only moments before Moondance emerged from the water in front of him.

Suddenly he was close, too close and Vanyel felt his head spin with the sensation. He knew attraction when he felt it, but this wasn't the deep binding love and fiery passion he had felt with Tylendel, this was softer, rawer, lust. Moondance looked at him knowingly, his penetrating gaze held steady. An unintentional shudder ran through him.

"Moondance-," he stopped as the man raised a hand towards his lips.

"No ke'chara, do not stop, speak your mind, I only wish to touch you." Vanyel started at the blatant declaration and almost jerked back. Then Moondance's hand moved so lightly across his cheek that he almost didn't feel it, but the burning trial in its wake left no doubt.

A flash of blonde curls and brown eyes replaced silver and Vanyel moaned painfully before looking away, the intimate touch too much like Tylendel's.

"'ashke," Moondance said firmly, softly, "look at me, close your mind, don't let the pain affect your actions, your body. These are healing waters, take my hand, give yourself over to me." His hand wrapped around Vanyel's and pulled softly, leading him out into the water. With one hand on his back and another on his chest, Moondance urged Vanyel back until his long black hair skimmed across the surface. Vanyel closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall under the water.

After a moment Moondance pulled him back up, brushing the hair out of Vanyel's face and murmuring softly.

The words weaved a spell over him and Vanyel fell back against Moondance's chest, sighing softly. Warm hands slid easily down his water slick skin and he murmured quiet words of pleasure.

"What are you thinking about 'ashke?" Moondance whispered in his ear. The words sent fire flowing through him almost sluggishly, taking its time just as Moondance was doing with him.

"You," he whispered hoarsely, "only you." Hands threaded through his hair and pulled his head back to rest on Moondance's shoulder. He allowed his eyes to flutter closed and handed himself over mind and body. Warm lips pressed against his softly and for a minute he couldn't breathe. A hand trailing teasingly down his chest elicited a gasp from him and his breathing turned rapid.

Suddenly there was another pair of hands moving across the pale expanse of his chest, an hour ago he would have jumped, screamed, but he was too immersed in Moondance. Soothing tendrils curled around his mind and he knew it was Starwind trailing kisses down his exposed neck.

Unabashedly he stretched between them, curling an arm back around Moondance's neck and another into Starwind's hair. Soft moans slipped through his lips as Moondance stroked his tongue softly with his.

The water lapped around him, still warm as the moment he had gotten in. He remembered when he and 'Lendel would share a shower, steaming up the mirror and becoming so distracted that by the time they got to their washing, all the hot water was long gone.

His jaw began to clench and the sadness came creeping back in. The soothing tendrils snapped tighter around his mind and Starwind had stepped closer so Vanyel was moulded between their bodies.

"Let go 'ashke, don't think," Moondance whispered into his mouth. Vanyel only whimpered before giving in.

The light in the cavern was beginning to dim and he realized that night was falling; soon there would be only the light of the moon.

Laving slowly, Starwind hit a particularly sensitive spot on his neck, the spot Tylendel had loved to play with and watch him writhe. This time he managed to keep his mind away from 'Lendel by noting the difference of feelings, he wasn't sprawled under the soft warm body of someone his age, instead he felt the hard planes of men's bodies pressed against him front and back.

The sun had now completely set, already having sunk far below the canyon walls of the Vale. Shafts of moonlight trickled through the trees and shone into the cavern giving the room an ethereal glow. His pale skin made him look ghost like compared to the richly tanned bodies of the Tayledras.

Suddenly he realized they were moving, hips swaying slowly and they had edged over to the shallow end of the pool, the cool air caressing his now exposed waist and hips.

Moondance moved away from behind him, separating their lips and causing Vanyel to whimper. But he had no more time to complain as Starwind pulled his head up and ran his tongue softly across Vanyel's lips before slipping it into his mouth. Unlike Moondance, Starwind seemed to know every sensitive spot in his mouth but moved with a slowness and gentleness that made Vanyel push forward insistently, trying to deepen the kiss. The older man cupped his cheek with one hand and the back of his head with the other, holding him still almost teasingly.

Before take a few striding steps forward, Starwind reached down to pull Vanyel's legs up around his waist and stepped out of the water. A shiver ran through both at the initial shock of the cooler air, but the heat their bodies created made it disappear quickly. Moondance was back at his side, this time standing behind Starwind and trailing kisses down his lover's neck. A small hum of pleasure from Starwind made his chest rumble.

With slow precise movements Starwind knelt, laying Vanyel back on the towel Moondance had left to spread out.

Vanyel went limp; lying sprawled out, allowing them to do as they wished. Starwind knelt above his head, bending over him to press their lips togeather, his long sliver hair falling forward to create a curtain around him. Moondance knelt at his feet, sliding hands under his leg and lifting. He ran his tongue along the arch of his foot, nipping softly.

Then their hands were everywhere, one pair running down his arms and another ghosting over his legs. Vanyel's back arched and he closed his eyes against the sensations. A soft tongue traced a line from his sternum to his navel while another laved at the backs of his knees.

He murmured and panted, shifted restlessly but nothing he did would make them speed up their ministrations. Suddenly he became aware of his body begging for release. His hips bucked and sweat beaded on his forehead. They ignored his cries, continuing as they had been, Vanyel reached down towards each and they both took one of his hands.

His body began to quiver and fire course scalding hot through his veins, a cry of pleasure escaping his throat and he came, his vision going black as he did.

--

When he woke the first thing he noticed was that, since Tylendel had died, it had been the first night he'd slept through peacefully. His mind immediately associated that perfect peace to the pleasure humming gently through his body. The he felt the hard floor under him, covered with a thin soft cloth. A small smile curved his lips as he looked to either side of himself, Starwind and Moondance were pressed to his sides, all three of them still gloriously nude.

As he continued to move and stand, he became aware of the aches and pains knotting his muscles from sleeping on the floor. Moondance muttered in his sleep and one of his hands moved to where Vanyel's chest had been moments ago, the man's brow furrowed and he rolled closer, connecting with Starwind. This seemed to please him and he snaked an arm around his love's waist. Starwind, obviously used to this, turned to face him and buried his face in the younger man's chest. Vanyel felt a small pang at this apparent display of love.

Climbing into the water, he began to wash away the night's activities before settling back, allowing the heat to unknot his muscles. A slow smile crept across his face, one of the first in a long time, a real smile; it felt almost foreign to him.

Last night, surrounded by these waters, he had learned that love and pleasure was not yet lost to him, that he still had those who wished to take care of him and see that he was happy. Although the memory of 'Lendel still hurt and he was not yet ready to love again, he knew he could still find happiness in those around him.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped from the water and strode to the two sleeping men, bending down to plant a light kiss to their foreheads. "Thank you," he whispered softly and began to walk out.

"Vanyel?" The sound of his name stopped him and he turned to look back, neither Tayledras had opened an eye but he knew it was Moondance's voice that had called. "Don't you dare leave this room without thanking me properly." Vanyel grinned and began to lower himself to the blanket.


End file.
